To Overcome the Krayt

[Aya Clarke]

The head, he means to take your head. That foot hits, this ends.

Aya's focus on his body had become blinded, and she opened herself to a rather perfect counter. Even her well trained mind almost couldn't see the motions he took, as they began. She may not have noticed much of his knee, but she couldn't mistake what his torso lean was doing. The angle was changed, and that violent angry voice she heard in her mind drew attention to it. In that moment, she had almost no time to react, and if he sent her away by retreat or force it was as good as over. The fires burned in her mind, and she had to act swift to tend to the situation. If she fully stepped forward now, she would be met with what she now felt to be death in her state of mind. If she retreated, she was a failure, and would soon crumple. If she did not retaliate appropriately, she may as well hand victory off to him. But the fact he had done what he did meant that she was at a loss of options, and dwindling in time.

He too, however, offered a tantalizing target. If she could just barely cause him to whiff, yes she could... Probably at the least. She halted her step forward, about halfway, and planted herself firm. She leaned into this knee, forcing her head, and thus the target, off center. In the same motion of her lean, she brought her left shoulder up to try and replace her jaw. She didn't have to avoid it entirely, she had to make this shot count. For as her body leaned to the side and down, so too would go her strike, to the side and down. Specifically, the same strike now aimed at his leg, rather than waist. The same Trakata strike went from a kill blow, to a disabling one. And if it worked, then he would effectively lose this bout, as he would 'lose' a leg, an irrecoverable mistake.

It was not flawless of course, she could begin to feel the empowered kick hitting the space her chin once inhabited, this time thankfully held by her shoulder. Her body was rocked by the force of the blow, and she felt her feet shift in the sand even as she made the determined blow. Almost in the same instant she re-activated her blade this time, rather than simply pray it struck, she could feel the unmistakable sensation of her left shoulder left its socket. The pain was intense, but she could handle it if things worked out. That rational part of her brain was still able to tell Uthixo wasn't going to kill her, even if she fought now as though such were truly the intent.

[member="Uthixo Nazim"]

 

[Uthixo Nazim]

Almost as if his eyes had played a trick on him what had seemed like a step forward from Aya ended with her somehow ducking and dodging his blow, an unexpected move as Uthixo's foot collided with her shoulder his original target going down and to the right as she leaned out of the way. This was why one kept their knee bent in martial arts and a fight choosing to be on the balls of their feet instead of flatfooted. It provided ample opportunity to kick and dodge backward or even jump but Aya's maneuver had put her in prime position for a counter.

Uthixo had no clue about the saber attack nor had worried about it as his left leg extended pushing him off the ground his body twisting at the hip, left leg bending back, coming up and over where Aya's saber would be passing. This type of kick is usually what one would call a roundhouse kick though it was initiated in a different way than most. Instead of deciding to catch himself on his right leg which would bring his motion to a halt Uthixo let the momentum of the spin and kick carry him. The twist of his hips, the turn of his shoulders and the unleashing of the kick as his left foot snapped outwards built up far more force behind the kick through an act called kinetic chaining. If he wore durasteel tipped boots Uthixo's foot would possibly split Aya's head open like an egg from the kick, but with just a regular boot the most it would do is knock her unconscious or give a concussion as the foot came down towards her temple which she'd inadvertently made a target by leaning down and to her right.

If Aya stood to dodge the hit she'd end up dealing with the kick landing in the area between her neck and shoulder. Leaning back it would clip her chin from the side, a blow one would never wish to take. To ensure there would be no more sly tricks from the cunning woman the Sandali called on the force, much like the kick came the force created a blow that originated from beneath the woman, a version of telekinesis not often used by many in favor of more blunt uses. A technique called projected fighting. The blow from beneath would match the force of the kick Uthixo was currently throwing out aimed at the area between her neck and chin so even if she stood up or leaned back the blow would strike a part of her jaw without the force Aya would have no clue the blow was coming.

[member="Aya Clarke"]